Intermediate (Grades 5-8) Standard - B:  Physical Science

3. Transfer of Energy
a. Energy is a property of many substances and is associated with heat, light, electricity, mechanical motion, sound, nuclei, and the nature of a chemical
Intermediate Standard – D: Earth and Space Science

1. Structure of the Earth System a. The solid earth is layered with a lithosphere: hot, convecting mantle; and dense, metallic core.

Intermediate Standard – E: Science and Technology

2. Understandings about Science and Technology

c. Technological solutions are temporary and have side effects.  Technologies cost, carry risks, and have benefits.
f. Perfectly designed solutions do not exist.  All technological solutions have trade-offs, such as safety, cost, efficiency, and appearance.  Risk is part of living in a highly technological world.  Reducing risk often results in new technology.
g.     Technological designs have constraint.  Some constraints are unavoidable, such as properties of materials, or effects of weather and friction.  Other constraints limit choices in design, such as environmental protection, human safety, and aesthetics.           

Intermediate Standard – F:  Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

1. Personal Health

b.  Natural environments may contain substances that are harmful to human beings.  Maintaining environmental health involves establishing or monitoring quality standards related to use of soil, water, and air.

2.  Population, Resources, and Environments

b.  Causes of environmental degradation and resource deletion vary from region to region and from country to country.

3.  Natural Hazards

a.  Internal and external processed of the earth system cause natural hazards, events that change or destroy human and wildlife habitats, damage property, and harm or kill humans.
b.  Human activities can induce hazards through resource acquisition, urban growth, land-use decisions, and waste disposal.
c.  Hazards can present personal and societal challenges because misidentifying the change or incorrectly estimating the rate and scale of change may result in either too little attention and significant human costs or too much cost for unneeded preventive measures.

4.  Risks and Benefits

c.   Students can use a systematic approach to thinking critically about risks and benefits.
d. Important personal and social decisions are made based on perceptions of benefits and risks.